JOB CANDIDATE
Jacob K. Javits Fellow in American Literature | | Office address | Telephone | Home address | | City, state, ZIP code | E-mail address | City, state, ZIP code | Education1
- Research University, City, State, expected 2004
- Doctor of Philosophy in English
- Research University, City, State, 2001
- Master of Arts in English
- Private University, City, State, 1997
- Bachelor of Arts in English, summa cum laude, and philosophy
- Private University, City, State, 1995
- Associate of Arts
- University College of Oxford University, Oxford, England, 1996
- Study in twentieth-century British literature and renaissance drama
Dissertation2
- Down on the Farm: World War One and the Emergence of Literary Modernism in the American South.
- My dissertation, under the direction of [name], takes a sociocultural approach to explaining the outburst of literary production by writers from the American South between World War One and World War Two. I argue that the events of World War One eroded the post-Reconstruction South’s social and intellectual isolation allowing for the diffusion of modern American and European social, cultural, and economic practices, leading to fundamental changes in southern society and influencing the creative work of some, if not all, southern writers. Thus, the southern literature of the post World War One period reflects the massive scale of social change as modernism swept across the South with more violence than Sherman. I examine the impact of World War One on regional identity, industrialization, race relations, gender dynamics, and art in the South. The works I discuss include William Faulkner’s novels Soldiers’ Pay (1926), Flags in the Dust (1929), and A Fable (1954), W. J. Cash’s The Mind of the South (1941), Willa Cather’s One of Ours (1922), Donald Davidson’s The Tall Men (1926), John Dos Passos’s Three Soldiers (1921), Paul Green’s Johnny Johnson (1937), Claude McKay’s Home to Harlem (1929), William Alexander Percy’s Lanterns on the Levee (1941), John Crowe Ransom’s Poems About God (1918), Elizabeth Madox Roberts’s He Sent Forth a Raven (1935), and I’ll Take My Stand (1930).
Honors, Awards, Fellowships, and Scholarships3
- Jacob K. Javits Fellowship
- Carolina Merit Assistantship
- Center for the Study of the American South Summer Research Grant
- W. Bruce Lea Travel Research Grant
- Richardson Conference Travel Grant
- Thirteen additional awards are cited.
Publications
- Associate Editor of North Carolina Slave Narratives. [Name], general editor. Forthcoming from Research University Press 2003.
- “Fugitives/Agrarians” in A Companion to Twentieth-Century American Poetry. Forthcoming from Facts on File, Inc.
- “Will N. Harben,” “Etheridge Knight,” and “James Wilcox” in Southern Writers: A Biographical Dictionary. Forthcoming from Louisiana State University Press.
- Nine aadditional publications are listed.
Conference Presentations
- “The Ministry of Rev. Thomas H. Jones.” South Atlantic Modern Language Association. Atlanta, Georgia, 2003.
- “Shackles and Stripes: The Cinematic Representation of the Southern Chain Gang.” American Literature Association. Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2003.
- Four additional presentations are listed.
Teaching Experience4
- Composition Instructor, Research Writing Program, 2000-present
- Full responsibility for seven sections of composition.
- Planned and taught writing across the curriculum based courses on varied topics.
- Used instructional technology to enhance pedagogical technique.
- Taught in an innovative, interdisciplinary team-teaching program.
- Literature Instructor, Research University Department of English, 2003-present
- Full responsibility for two sections of literature, including Major American Authors and Introduction to Poetry.
- Integrated multimedia approaches to teaching literature using film and instructional technology.
- Film Instructor, Research University Literature Program, 2002
- Taught a section of film criticism, including film history, theory, and technical vocabulary.
- Responsible for planning lessons and assignments, leading discussion, and calculating grades.
Academic Support Experience5
- Coordinating Group Leader, Research University Writing Program, 2002-2003
- Planned and led required training sessions for composition instructors.
- Studio for Information Technology in English Studies Intern, Research University, 1999-2001
- Project developer for composition resource internet site.
- Maintained information technology facilities for English department.
- Carolina Summer Reading Program Discussion Leader, Research University, 2001
- Led group discussion for first-year students on academic topics.
- Writing Center Fellow, Emory College, 1996-1997
- Led conferences for students facing writing difficulties.
- Counseled students on writing strategies and techniques.
- Freshman Seminar Co-Leader, Emory College, 1996-1997
- Advised entering freshmen on course selection and registration.
- Organized group discussions on social and academic issues.
Electronic and Textual Editing Experience6
- Managing Editor, Southern Literary Journal, 2003-present
- Process manuscripts submitted for publication.
- Oversee production and publication procedures.
- Maintain editorial correspondence with prospective contributors.
- Conduct business transactions including publicity, subscriptions, and advertising.
- Editorial Assistant, Southern Literary Journal, 2000-2003
- Designed and maintain journal’s internet presence.
- Read and edit copy for publication.
- Internet Editor, Research University Quarterly, 1999-present
- Designed and maintain journal’s internet presence.
- Poetry Staff, Research University Quarterly, 1999-present
- Review and solicit poems for possible publication.
- Contributing Editor, The Fountain, 2000
- Researched and wrote articles for a magazine supporting institutional development.
- Poetry Editor, Lullwater Review, 1996-1997
- Chose content for publication and edited textual layout.
Admissions Experience7
- Admission and Financial Aid Advisor, Private University, 1997-1999
- Advised prospective undergraduate students on enrollment opportunities.
- Reviewed applications and recommended appropriate admission decisions.
- Coordinated scholar recruitment and selection process.
- Graduate Admissions Consultant, Kaplan, 2001-present
- Advise clients on application procedures for graduate programs in education, humanities, and social sciences.
Professional Service7
- Graduate Funding Consultant, Research University, 2001-present
- Advise graduate students on external funding sources and fellowship applications.
- Graduate Mentor, Research University, 2002-present
- Counsel minority undergraduates on graduate programs, application procedures, and funding.
- Five other activities are listed.
Professional Memberships
- Modern Language Association
- American Literature Association
- American Studies Association
- South Atlantic Modern Language Association
- Society for the Study of Southern Literature
- Robert Penn Warren Circle
- outhern Research Circle
References8
- Names of five references, their titles, and institutions are listed.
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|  | | | 1.) In the “Education” section, an alternate format would be to list each university only once and then list applicable degrees under it. This may give a more coherent visual impression of the candidate’s academic career, but is certainly optional. The section on the candidate’s Ph.D. should include information about his areas of specialization, given how broad a field like English is, and also could list his dissertation title, adviser’s name, and even his committee members -- making this key information available at a glance. 2.) In English, it’s quite common to provide the kind of abbreviated dissertation abstract that appears here, so we wouldn’t say not to do it. To us, however, the space limitations of including it on the CV seem to be a bit of a straitjacket that doesn’t allow you to develop your arguments in the way that a separate one-page abstract would. We commend the candidate for including the titles of the works on which the dissertation is based. Many literature candidates entirely forget to do this! Also, any description of the dissertation can move from the “book report” format (e.g., “I argue”) to the more authoritative voice taken by the expert, which, on his or her topic, the dissertation writer now is. For example, the abstract might begin, “A sociocultural perspective is essential to a full understanding of the outburst of literary production. ...” 3.) The candidate has a strong list of awards. However, he includes a few that are less than impressive, such as his listing in Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities. (Any “honor” that requires you to pay to be listed in a directory is of limited credibility.) We’d suggest that the original list be pared a bit. 4.) The candidate’s research accomplishments are impressive, but now even research-oriented institutions demand good teaching as well. For that reason, we’d suggest moving the short “Teaching Experience” section up, placing it after the section on “Honors, Awards, Fellowships, and Scholarships,” which themselves suggest research productivity. Since all three teaching positions have been at the same institution, the university could be named once, with each position listed under it. Either way, the university’s city and state should be included with its name. 5.) The section called “Academic Support Experience” is a very interesting category. It could be used to good effect in applying for positions that involve providing special support to students. However, some of the entries could also be construed as teaching experience. The first position listed, “coordinating group leader,” involved leading required training sessions for composition instructors. That would seem to indicate a strong departmental vote of confidence in the candidate’s teaching ability and would be better included under “Teaching Experience.” Since it’s not uncommon for candidates with strong research backgrounds to dislike teaching composition, demonstrating strength in this area is a real plus. 6.) The title of this section -- “Electronic and Textual Editing Experience"-- might be good if the candidate was applying for positions outside academe. But for academic jobs, it emphasizes the production side of his editing experience and downplays the candidate’s contributions to the actual content. A hiring committee is more likely to value the latter in a prospective faculty member. This section might better be called “Professional Service,” or “Scholarly Service.” 7.) “Admissions Experience” is unlikely to be required in a prospective faculty member. This category should be eliminated. The Kaplan entry should be dropped entirely, and the other entry moved to a new category called “University Service.” This new section would also include some of the activities that the candidate now has listed under “Professional Service.” We recommend retitling that section to “University Service” so as to make a distinction on the CV between service on one’s campus and service to one’s profession. The “graduate mentor” position could be moved under “Academic Support Experience.” 8.) Including the names of references on a vita is optional, since usually candidates are asked to include their names in a cover letter or make sure they send letters of recommendation. However, it can be useful to include the names on a CV when they are well-known scholars. In that case, while it’s not necessary to include their mailing addresses, it’s very useful to list their telephone numbers and e-mail addresses, to make it easy for someone on a search committee to make the kind of quick informal reference check that is likely to result in the strongest, most credible reference. |